What is Metal New Artist Network?
Since July 2020, we have hosted a digital programme of support for early-career artists (those in their first few years of defining themselves as an artist). The Metal New Artist Network (MNAN) programme consists of artist talks, creative workshops, paid artist residencies, professional mentoring and networking sessions.
With over 500 network members, we support people from all artistic practices and backgrounds. Though the MNAN programme welcomes emerging artists from across the UK and overseas, we are particularly interested in how we can help early-career artists who live or work in our host cities of Liverpool, Peterborough and Southend on Sea.
Want to join?
Click here to join Metal New Artist Network and tell us about your practice.
By completing this short survey, we invite you to have your say on our future programme and how best we can respond to the challenges faced by early-career artists. You will also be signed up to MNAN’s monthly newsletter, giving you exclusive access to our free artist talks, call-outs for paid opportunities, information on residencies and links to wider opportunities across the UK. You can also join our closed Facebook group here to share work and meet others.
Who do we mean by Early Career Artists*?
● those who are aged 18+ in their 1st to 4th year of creative practice, post-student status (if applicable)
● those who left school and did not enter Higher Education but still keep up a regular creative practice
● those who have recently graduated in the past three years
● those who have entered the arts later in life after pursuing a different occupation and are within the first four years of this
*This is not an exhaustive list, and we welcome artists from all disciplines; theatre, visual art, film, music, writing or a mixture of some or all. We are particularly interested in supporting artists from diverse backgrounds, with unique perspectives to offer. If you’re unsure whether you fall into the early career category, please get in touch with the site most local to you.
This programme is supported by Festival Bridge, Curious Minds, Royal Opera House Bridge and Arts Council England, and is made possible with thanks for the Foyle Foundation.
Training Archive
See below for top tips and creative exercises to support all practices from our previous guest speakers.
Downloadable Top Tips
Sorting your Freelance Artist Finances with Remi Harris.
Writing your artist bio with Talia Randall
17 tips to overcome imposter syndrome from Ella Mesma
Residencies: The who, why, where & what of doing one with Robyn Woolston
How To Get Started Selling Products Online, with Becka Griffin
Zine Resources from Seleena Laverne Daye
Going Public: Documenting & Presenting Your Work with Jessie Brennan
Making Work Outside The Gallery by Becca & Clare
Getting To Grips with Arts Council Funding by Rachel Dobbs
Top Tips for Applying For Commissions, Residencies and Callouts with Axis and Open Eye Gallery
Amateurs Forever: 18 lessons learned of DIY, collaboration & care by Sophie Chapman
Balance or Bust : 6 Tips to Sustain Balance in Artistic Life by Caroline Smith
Trusting the process resources by Poonam Dhuffer at YSM8
Co-creating with People, usually non-artists by Hwa Young Jung
How to Have a Sustainable Creative Career by Ceri Hand
Staying Motivated by Amy Pennington
Writing proposals and getting your ideas onto paper by Articulate Sage
Creative Exercises
Souvenirs with Kate Genever : Inspiration and creative activities around postal art and collage.
Write the Manifesto and Create a Placard with Scottee : Two short scribbling tasks to help you understand why you want to make work and who it is for.
Fold your own Zine and Top Tips for Zine Makers with Lu Williams. Make your own mini zine using this A4 template, in order to develop and share your ideas.
